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Monthly Archives: June 2015

A while back I mentioned that Joe Tong (Archaeological Research Services), Sue Evans (Llangollen Museum), Nancy Edwards (Bangor University), Gary Robinson (Bangor University) and I have written up the video blogging dimension of Project Eliseg’s outreach as a journal article. We are pleased to say that the article has been published in the journal Internet Archaeology called ‘Vlog to Death: Project Eliseg’s Video-Blogging’.

Our principal focus is upon how we face the challenge of dealing with mortuary archaeology via vlogging when the archaeological dead are not represented by articulated skeletons or cadavers: the most readily comprehensible material…

Skellig Michael is one of the most extraordinary places I have ever been. Situated roughly 13 km off the coast of Kerry in Ireland in the Atlantic Ocean. It stands with Little Skellig, which is a thriving bird habitat.

Skellig Michael and Little Skellig, Skellig Michael is in the back.

Little Skellig

Skellig Michael.

Although from the photos both Skellig Michael and Little Skellig might seem to be simply harsh lumps of rock in the middle of the ocean, this is far from the truth. Skellig Michael has a fascinating history of habitation, and the most spectacular monastery I have ever seen is situated on its seemingly impassable slopes.

The history begins with the first known mention of Skellig in 1400 BCE when legend has it that Milesius, an early invader of Ireland, lost one of his sons, Irr, to Skellig’s cliffs. There is also legend of Skellig being a refuge…